Euphorbia plant named &#39;bonpri 1095&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euphorbia  plant named ‘Bonpri 1095’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences with large intense red purple-colored flower bracts with lighter red purple-colored margins; inflorescences with small and sterile cyathia; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONPRI 1095’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant, an interspecific hybrid botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Bonpri 1095’.

The new Euphorbia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop new interspecific Euphorbia plants with upright and mounded plant habit and large attractive flower bracts.

The new Euphorbia plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor on Nov. 1, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch identified as code number 151, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima×Euphorbia cornastra identified as code number 810, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Euphorbia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia on Apr. 4, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Euphorbia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonpri 1095’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonpri 1095’ as a new and distinct Euphorbia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Inflorescences with large intense red purple-colored flower         bracts with lighter red purple-colored margins.     -   6. Inflorescences with small and sterile cyathia.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Euphorbia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia have smaller flower bracts than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia and the female parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the female parent         selection have red-colored flower bracts.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia have small and         sterile cyathia whereas inflorescences of plants of the female         parent selection have larger and fertile cyathia.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Euphorbia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia and the male parent selection         differ in flower bract color as plants of the male parent         selection have pale pink-colored flower bracts.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia have smaller         cyathia than inflorescences of plants of the male parent         selection.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia do not produce         pollen whereas inflorescences of plants of the male parent         selection produce pollen.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpridepcom’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,324. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Euphorbia differ primarily from plants of ‘Bonpridepcom’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Bonpridepcom’.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Bonpridepcom’.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia have more inflorescences per         plant than plants of ‘Bonpridepcom’.     -   4. Plants of the new Euphorbia have larger inflorescences with         larger flower bracts than plants of ‘Bonpridepcom’.     -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia have smaller         cyathia than inflorescences of plants of ‘Bonpridepcom’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Euphorbia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Euphorbia plant. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonpri 1095’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Bonpri 1095’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and herewith described in detail were grown during the autumn in 12-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Euphorbia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex     Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpri 1095’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch identified as code number             151, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             pulcherrima×Euphorbia cornastra identified as code number             810, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 16° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright and mounded plant habit;             inverted triangle; inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit, about nine lateral branches develop per             plant. Length: About 21 cm. Diameter: About 5.7 mm.             Internode length: About 2.6 cm. Aspect: Mostly upright to             somewhat outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.6 cm. Width: About 4.1 cm. Shape: Deltoid or ovate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Rounded or truncate. Margin: Shallowly             serrate; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent; rough. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 141B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 138C. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138A, venation, close to 138D. Petioles: Length: About             2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A             tinged with close to 177A. Color, lower surface: Close to             144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with numerous flower bracts subtending             the cyathia; inflorescences positioned above the foliar             plane.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About nine inflorescences             develop per plant.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 20.9 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower during the             autumn and winter in Japan; inflorescence initiation and             development can also be induced under artificial long             nyctoperiod and short photoperiod conditions; early             flowering habit, plants flower about 50 days under natural             season conditions in Japan.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Euphorbia maintain good substance and             bract color for about seven weeks.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About seven.             Length, largest bracts: About 9.8 cm. Width, largest bracts:             About 5.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded.             Margin: Entire with shallow lobes. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Pubescent; matte. Aspect: Mostly horizontal.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Transitional             bracts, upper surface: Close to N137A and 58C. Transitional             bracts, lower surface: Close to 138B and 36D. Developing             bracts, upper surface: Close to darker than 53C. Developing             bracts, lower surface: Close to 53D. Fully expanded bracts,             upper surface: Close to N57A; towards the margins, close to             N57D; venation, close to N137A. Fully expanded bracts, lower             surface: Close to 58D; venation, close to 145C. Flower bract             petioles: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 18, relatively small.             Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 2.4 cm. Height,             individual cyathium: About 2.6 mm. Diameter, individual             cyathium: About 2.2 mm. Shape, individual cyathium: Globose;             sessile. Color: Close to 144C; towards the apex, close to             60A. Nectaries: Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been             observed to develop nectaries.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Plants of the new Euphorbia             have not been observed to develop stamens. Pistils: Plants             of the new Euphorbia have not been observed to develop             pistils. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Euphorbia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Euphorbia     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about     40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘Bonpri 1095’ as illustrated and described. 